> > There will always be conflict between the drivers and the shiners (and I
>think even the casual reader will be able to figure out where I fit in).
> > For our National to be successful in the future, we will need to find
> > more of a balance between the 2 groups. This year it seemed that the
> > autocross and rally awards couldn't be passed out to the winners fast
> > enough, while the Chief Judge of the VTR took significantly more time
> > passing out concours awards, with many of the winning concours cars
> > displayed on an overhead projector, while the winning owners from each
>class posed for a group photo with the Chief Judge. What message is VTR
>sending with that display? As the show aspect has been emphasized, the
>attendance has been declining. Is this a coincidence?
Actually I see it much different than the slam on the VTR above. If you
timed the time to award all the driving events vs. the time to hand out
the show awards, the driving events won by 25 minutes overall. That was
because the whole proceedings came to a halt as the individual driving
event winners walked up to receive the award before the next was called.
George Raby had enough sense of how things were going and asked that all
applause be held until all in class had come up to receive their awards.
That went much, much faster overall. I think this points more to the MC
of the awards banquet than to anything else.
As for pointing fingers at the VTR, I think that is way off base. It is
the VTR that held ALL the events, driving and show. To say favorites
are/were played holds no water whatsoever. As for the TR250, yes it was
a beautiful car and I personally would love to have it. The owner
should be very proud of it. I don't want to see it flogged, do you? As
for the race cars, they are not being used for the purpose for which
they were built which was actually daily transportation. EVERY race car
at the VTR
event arrived on a trailer if I'm not badly mistaken. But we are
missing the point--purpose. People that want to race Triumphs build
them for that purpose. People that build them for show do the same. I
really don't see any problems either way. Why can't we just enjoy ours
and others cars for what they are--great multi-purpose cars that are
versatile enough to be used for transportation, racing or showing?
Bill Wood
1973 TR6
1979 TR8 Coupe 1997 VTR Seniors Concours winner, stock TR8 Autocross
winner
1981 TR8 F.I. 1996 VTR Seniors Concours winner, stock TR8 Autocross
winner
Greensboro, N.C.
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